QUINSAM

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IMO: 8111386
MMSI: 316001266
Call Sign: VY6800

Technical Specifications

Key Figures

Gross Tonnage

1,458GT

Deadweight

361DWT

Length Overall

86.87m

Beam

21.34m

Year Built

1982

Overview

About This Vessel

MV Quinsam is an automobile ferry operated by BC Ferries. It was built in 1982 by Vancouver Shipyards in Vancouver, British Columbia. Initially, the ferry was part of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways' (MoT) saltwater ferry fleet until 1985, when it was transferred to BC Ferries along with other saltwater ferries, such as Quinsam. Quinsam carries 70 cars and replaced the smaller MV Quinitsa (which carries fifty cars) on the Nanaimo ↔ Gabriola Island route, and then once again on the Vesuvius ↔ Crofton route in 2022. Quinsam has few passenger amenities onboard. On each side of the car deck, there are small passenger lounges offering some seating, along with washrooms and vending machines. In 2010, she underwent a $16 million mid-life upgrade, which included new engines and generators, a rebuilt pilothouse and passenger cabin, as well as steel replacement.

Live Tracking

Current Position

Live AIS · 3 min ago

Track · last 14 d

Position

48.866°N · 123.629°W

Speed

9.7 kn

Course

254°

Status

Under way using engine

Destination VES 2 CROETA Dec 31, 04:00 PMDraught 1.5 m

Where it waited most

Most time stopped at Crofton: 22 d across 834 stays.

1
Crofton22 d · 834×

Derived from the AIS track: runs of near-zero speed (anchored, moored or drifting) snapped to the nearest port. Builds up as we observe the vessel.

Intelligence

Risk & Sustainability

Risk scoreHigh

58/ 100

Safety38

Compliance95

Environment38

Recent port calls

Crofton
Oct 16, 2026
0.0 d
Crofton
Oct 15, 2026
0.0 d
Crofton
Oct 15, 2026
0.1 d
Crofton
Oct 15, 2026
0.1 d
Crofton
Oct 15, 2026
0.1 d

AIS-derived from our live feed.

Compliance

Safety Record

Marine casualties8

Near-MissMinor
Apr 7, 2024Grave Point, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 07 April 2024, the ferry "QUINSAM", with 24 people on board, reported having experienced a close quarters situation with a pleasure craft in Osborn Bay, BC. The ferry used sound signals and maneuvered to avoid a collision.
Machinery FailureMinor
Jul 31, 2022Crofton, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 31 July 2022, the ro-ro passenger ferry "QUINSAM" reported 1 of its 4 right angle drives as being unserviceable while at the ferry terminal in Crofton, BC. With its remaining drives, the ferry continued its scheduled sailing.
Machinery FailureMinor
Jun 8, 2022Vesuvius, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 08 June 2022, the ro-ro ferry "QUINSAM" reported that 1 of its 4 engines had broken down near the ferry terminal in Vesuvius, BC. The vessel continued its scheduled sailing with its remaining engines.
Machinery FailureMinor
Sep 15, 2016Nanaimo, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 15 September 2016, the passenger ferry "QUINSAM" reported the failure of No 4 diesel engine near Gabriola Island, BC. The vessel continued its voyage to Gabriola Island, BC on 3 diesel engines.
Machinery FailureMinor
Aug 31, 2016Jack Point, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 31 August 2016, the ferry "QUINSAM", reported a failure of 1 of its 4 Right Angle Drives in Northumberland Channel, BC. The ferry continued on scheduled runs.
Near-MissMinor
Jun 29, 2016Duke Point, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 29 June 2016, the ferry "QUINSAM" reported a close quarter situation with the tug "SEASPAN PUSHER in Northumberland Channel, BC.
GroundingSerious
May 29, 2010NANAIMO HARBOUR, BC, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 29 May 2010, the BCFS "QUINSAM" made an unexpected sheer to starboard and struck the sea wall off the berth in Nanaimo Harbour, BC. The vessel sustained some propellor damage to No. 1 SRAD.
Personnel CasualtyMinor
Jan 9, 2007NANAIMO HARBOUR, BC, BRITISH COLUMBIA (BC)
On 9 January 2007, the P/F: "QUINSAM", while loading last car in Nanaimo Harbour, BC, vessel unexpectedly left berth. Occupant of car evacuated before car entered water.

Recorded marine occurrences naming this vessel.

Operational Status

Activity

Slow steamingFix within the last day

Under way but in the slow band: effective capacity voluntarily withdrawn.

Speed

0.9 kn

Nav status

Under way using engine

Last broadcast

within the last day

Hull age

44 yr

Read from the single most-recent AIS broadcast we hold for this hull. We keep no position history, so this is a point-in-time posture, not a dwell inference. Derived in-house from our own AIS feed; weight it by the broadcast age above.

Port calls

19 recent · AIS-detected

Arrivals, time in port and the load/discharge inferred from the draught change, detected from AIS track history. An open call means the vessel is still in port (no departure observed yet).

Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since
Crofton
op. unknown
In port since

Method: each call is a run of fixes inside a port’s geofence confirmed by a stop (or an AIS gap); load/discharge is the sign of the draught delta over the call. Indicative: arrivals before our AIS history began read from the first observation.

Composite Risk

Risk Score

74/100

Elevated riskLow confidence40% component coverage

Multiple adverse factors, or a hard ship-specific signal, lift this hull above the fleet norm.

PSC detentionsno data

Sanctions exposureno data

AIS-gap & behaviourno data

Hull age100

Flag register50

A coverage-weighted blend of the 2 components we could read for this hull; the weights renormalise over only the components present, so a thin read is never inflated and a hull is never credited a “safe 0” for a signal it has no row for. This headline is flagged low-confidence (a thin or structural-only read) and should not be treated as a verdict. Higher means riskier. Derived in-house from government-open port-State-control, flag, sanctions and our own vessel data; weight it by the coverage above.

Full compliance dossier

Fleet Management